The Blazer Bridge Fund encourages discovery among the UAB community by providing financial support to innovative ideas and inventions.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery is pleased to welcome Justin Coleman and Mohammad Hamo. Coleman joins the department as a revenue cycle manager and Hamo joins as a research technician in the lab of James Garber Galbraith Endowed Chair of Neurosurgery James Markert, M.D., MPH.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery is pleased to announce that Zhihong Yu will join the department in October 2025 as a lab manager in the research lab of Associate Professor of Neurosurgery Jianmei Leavenworth, M.D., Ph.D.

More than two years ago, 19-year-old Grayson Pope was fleeing a pop-up storm while playing golf with friends when a large tree collapsed on his golf cart. He suffered hundreds of brain bleeds, brain stem damage and swelling on his brain.

Jianmei Leavenworth, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Neurosurgery, has been named the latest recipient of the school’s Featured Discovery award. This recognition celebrates notable research contributions made by faculty and highlights the impact of their scientific advancements.

Fall sports are in full swing, and it is important to prioritize the safety of young athletes by being informed on ways to minimize the risk of concussions and next steps if one occurs.

After a motorcycle accident, Kristen Davison had a traumatic brain injury that involved facial fractures and bleeding in and around the brain.

UAB Hospital has once again been recognized among the nation’s top hospitals for neurology and neurosurgery, according to the 2025-2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings.

Every August, Neurosurgery Awareness Month reminds us of the role our specialty plays in medicine and in the lives of patients and their families. The conditions we treat often present at critical moments, when decisions carry life-changing weight.

Satoru Osuka, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery, was recently awarded his first R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health for his project, "Targeting radiation-induced invasion in Glioblastoma."

The start of a new school year brings more than textbooks and class schedules. It also marks the return of school sports.

Yard work might seem like a low-stakes weekend chore, but beyond mulching flower beds and trimming hedges lies a real risk: back and spine injuries that can last long after the weeds are gone.

Mark N. Hadley, M.D., FAANS, Charles A.

July 22 marks the 12th annual World Brain Day, a global campaign led by the World Federation of Neurology (WFN) to promote brain health across all stages of life. This year’s theme, “Brain Health for All Ages,” emphasizes the importance of neurological care from preconception through late adulthood.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery is pleased to announce that Terri Epting will join the department as director of fiscal affairs, effective Aug. 11.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery is pleased to welcome Hohyun Cho, Ph.D.

Burt Nabors, M.D., professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurology and director of the Division of Neuro-oncology, has been selected as a recipient of the 2025 Excellence in Engagement Award from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN).

James Johnston, M.D., professor and division director of the University of Alabama at Birmingham Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery recently graduated from the UAB Healthcare Leadership Academy (HLA). 

UAB Hospital has been reverified as a Level I adult trauma center by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Committee on Trauma (COT) and remains the only ACS-Level I adult trauma center in the state of Alabama. Learn what it takes to meet the rigorous standards set by the ACS.

Andrew Hale, M.D., Ph.D., a neurosurgical resident in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery, is the first author of a newly published paper in Science Translational Medicine. The paper defines the “Molecular Hallmarks of Hydrocephalus,” a condition that affects millions worldwide and is the leading reason for childhood brain surgery.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery held its annual Chief Resident Graduation Dinner on Friday, June 20, 2025, at The Florentine, bringing together residents, their families and faculty members for a night of celebration, recognition and reflection.

As summer activities ramp up, so does the risk for traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery Assistant Professor Elizabeth Liptrap, M.D., was recently featured during WBRC's “Ask The Doctor” segment to share expert advice on preventing traumatic brain injuries during the summer months. 

Marshall Holland, M.D., MS, assistant professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery, served as an invited speaker at the Facial Pain Association’s (FPA) annual meeting this month, marking the organization’s first in-person gathering since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Marshall Holland, M.D., MS, assistant professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery, recently served as a visiting professor at the University of Minnesota Department of Neurosurgery, where he delivered a grand rounds lecture on a novel application of spinal cord stimulation for modulation of the autonomic nervous system and restless legs syndrome (RLS).

Fothergill at the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under ArmourOn March 23, 2025, professional angler Easton Fothergill reeled in a record-breaking win at the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour—just 19 months after undergoing emergency brain surgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital.

Members of the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery, the Global Alliance for Prevention of Spina Bifida (GAPSBiF) and the UAB mission:brain chapter recently came together with March of Dimes to advocate for a bill that could address a significant health disparity in Alabama’s Hispanic community.

Jianmei Leavenworth, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery, recently graduated from the spring 2025 cohort of UAB Medicine’s Leading Advancing Developing (LEAD) program.

The twelfth annual Blazer Bolt for Brain Cancer 5K and Fun Run will be held on Saturday, May 17, at Railroad Park in Homewood, Alabama.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Neurosurgery Leadership Council (NLC) has elected new officers, with Jacquelyn “Jacque” Shaia, J.D., Ph.D., (pictured)  serving as president and Diane Fisher as secretary.

Danny Lee, clinical research administrator II in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery, has been named a 2025 honoree for the UAB Values in Action Program (VIP).